Paseo de los Turistas (Puntarenas seafront)
Park · Nicoya Peninsula
Puntarenas' seafront promenade runs about 3 km along the gulf side of the sand spit: tall palms, seafood restaurants, souvenir stalls and the kiosks where the churchill was born - shaved ice with kola syrup, condensed and powdered milk, topped with ice cream. In the evening the whole town comes out to stroll and watch the sun sink behind the Nicoya hills.
- Cost
- Free
- Time there
- 1.5 h
- Best time
- late afternoon into sunset; weekday evenings are calmer
- Kids
- 4 / 10
- View
- 7 / 10
- Crowds
- 4 / 10
- Swimming
- 3 / 10
- Effort
- 1 / 10
- Location
- 9.97493, -84.83961 — Google Maps
Before you go
- Entry
- Free
- Tickets
- Free entry, no ticket
- Parking
- On the street
- Road
- Paved all the way
- Facilities
- food, shade
- Kids
- Good for kids
- Fewer people
- weekends and holidays fill with day-trippers from San José; weekday evenings are calmer
- Checked
- 2026-10
Tip
Grab a churchill at a kiosk and walk west toward the lighthouse for sunset. Even if you're only passing through for the ferry, it's worth staying one evening.
Be careful
The town beach sits next to a busy fishing port - better for a paddle than a real swim. Dry-season midday heat is brutal; walk early or late.
Getting there
Paseo de los Turistas (Avenida 4) follows the beach from near the cruise-ship pier west to La Punta, where the Paquera and Playa Naranjo ferries leave. Street parking along the paseo.
Places nearby
- Parque Marino del PacíficoParks & WildlifeAquarium park in Puntarenas' old railway station, about three hectares of tanks with sea turtles, tropical fish, rays, crocodiles and large sharks, plus a small pool and play area for children - an easy family stop at the east end of the seafront.
- Bahía Rica (bioluminescent kayak tours & fishing lodge)Tours & AdventureA small wooden kayak-and-fishing lodge on the bluff 1.5 km east of the Paquera ferry landing, best known for its night kayak tour on Paquera's bio-bay, where every paddle stroke lights up blue-green plankton and you can even jump in and swim through the glow.
Sources: OpenStreetMap way/419589110 · https://ticotimes.net/?p=163188 · https://passporterapp.com/en/blog/costa-rica/things-to-do-puntarenas/ · https://nicoyapeninsula.com/gulf/puntarenas/ · https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/419589110